1c,d) MS increased the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, CCL-20, hBD

in PDL cells in a force- and time-dependent manner. The expression of hBD-1 mRNA did not change in PDL cells exposed to MS. Maximal immune gene induction was observed in cells subjected to 12% MS for 24 h. Based on these results, we next examined whether the up-regulation of immune and defence gene expression in MS-stimulated cells is mediated by SIRT1. Resveratrol, a well-known SIRT1 activator, up-regulated SIRT1 mRNA and protein levels and enhanced find more MS-induced expression of the immune genes hBD-2, hBD-3, TLR-2 and TLR-4, but blocked up-regulation of the cytokines and chemokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and CCL-20. In contrast, the SIRT1 inhibitor sirtinol attenuated the induction of SIRT1, hBD-2, hBD-3, TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression by MS, but enhanced TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and CCL-20 mRNA expression (Fig. 2a,b). To extend Selleckchem Opaganib the investigation of efficacy to other SIRT1 activators and

inhibitors, PDL cells were treated with isonicotinamide and nicotinamide. The SIRT1 inducer isonicotinamide increased MS-induced up-regulation of SIRT1, hBD-2, hBD-3, TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression, but attenuated MS-induced TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and CCL-20 expression (Fig. 3a,b). In contrast, pretreatment of PDL cells with nicotinamide, another inhibitor of SIRT1, reduced the induction of SIRT1, hBDs and TLRs expression by MS and increased the induction of cytokine and chemokine expression by MS. To confirm further the role of SIRT1 in the induction of immune gene expression by MS, we knocked down SIRT1 with a specific siRNA. Transfection of siRNA specific for SIRT1 reduced basal expression of SIRT1 efficiently, as expected, and also reduced SIRT1 expression in the presence of MS (Fig. 4a). Treatment with SIRT1 siRNA abrogated the stimulatory effect of MS on the expression of the immune genes hBD-2, hBD-3, TLR-2 and TLR-4, but increased TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and CCL-20 mRNA levels (Fig. 4b). Because NF-κB activation requires nuclear translocation of

the p65 subunit of NF-κB, we examined the effect of MS on the cytosolic STK38 and nuclear p65 protein pools by Western blotting. As shown in Fig. 5a, p65 translocated from the cytosol to the nucleus as early as 15 min after MS stimulation, a response that was sustained until 90 min post-stimulation. We also investigated I-κBα degradation and phosphorylation to clarify the mechanism of MS-induced NF-κB activation. Consistent with the observed translocation of the NF-κB subunit, MS induced I-κBα degradation and phosphorylation, as determined by Western blotting. Using confocal microscopy, we monitored the spatial distribution of the p65 subunit of NF-κB. In most of the unstimulated PDL cells, NF-κB was located in the cytoplasm (Fig. 5b, left); in MS-stimulated PDL cells, NF-κB was located in the nuclei (Fig. 5b, right).